Combined overhead and underground electric railway.



No. 707,075. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

' D. S. BERGIN.

COMBINED OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Feb. 1 1902.)

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No. 707,075. Patented Aug. l9, I902.

n. s. BERGIN.

COMBINED OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Feb. .10, 1902.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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through the track-rails. seriously objectionable in most instances.

NITED Srnirns DANIEL S. BERGIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMBINED OVERHEAD AND UNDERGROUND ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,075, dated August 19, 1902. Application filed February 10,19D2. Serial No. 93,419. (No model.)

following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference in the different figures indicate like parts.

In overhead electric railways it has been customary to convey the return current \Vhile this is not where overhead systems are in use, yet in cities where there are numerous water and gas mains the injury to the latter resulting from electrolysis is considerable. Hence it is generally recognized as desirable to employ a separate conductor to convey the return-.

current, and in shifting from an overhead to an underground system a simple and effectual means for causing the return-current to be passed from the track-rails to a separate underground conductor is of considerable importance.

The object of my invention is to provide such means, all of which is hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a street-railway car embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a conduit, showing electrical conductors therein and a collector in contact therewith. Fig. 3 is a perspective view in detail of portions of said conductors and a collector in contact with them. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view of a car and conduit, showing a slightly-modified form of construction. Fig. 5 is a side view in detail of an underground collector. Fig. 6 is an end View, partly in section, of a modified form of underground collector. Fig. 7 is a side view thereof. Fig. 8 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 6 of a still further modified form of collector, and Fig. 9 is a detail view of a collector adapted to make a side or lateral contact with the conductors.

Referring to the drawings, a represents a street-car of ordinary construction mounted upon track-rails b, midway between which is a conduit 0, Figs. 2 and 4., of any approved construction, having conductors d c therein, which are supported upon suitable brackets fg, from which they are insulated, as shown at h. A slot i, Figs. 1 and 4, is formed in the top of the conduit, through which is projected a movable collector j, said collector being preferably made of a two-partroller consisting of the parts k 70, separated from each other by means of insulating material W, said roller being mounted in a bifurcated frame, the meeting arms or branches Z on of which are insulated from each other, as shown. Said branches unite in a single metallic bar n,

which may be supported in a vertical position attached to the connecting-bar a with which the bar at is directly connected. A cord 0,

connected with one of the jointed members at and trained over-suitable pulleys upon the car, enables said frame to be manipulated and the collector raised or lowered, as desired, so as to remove the same from or lower it into the conduit, in which suitable openings are provided, large enough to permit its passage. The member or section of the collector is adapted to engage the conductor d and the member 70 the conductor 6, representing the direct and return currents, respectively.

As I have shown but one motor in Fig. 4., I will first describe the electrical connections shown therein, after which I will describe those shown in Fig. 1, in which two motors are represented.

A conductor 19 is extended from the collector-bar n to a hook (1 upon the top of the car, also shown in Fig. 1, which hook is insulated from said car and arranged to engage the trolley-pole 1', which is in turn connected,

transferred from an overhead to an underground system, the trolley-pole r is first 10wered into engagement with the hook q, the underground collector lowered into the conduit, and the switch I) opened. The current is then conveyed from the conductor (Z, contact-section k, bar at, and conductor pto the hook g, thence through the trolley-pole 1" and conductor '1" to the motor, from whence it passes over the conductors s s to the contact-section 7c of the collector and thence to the return-conductor c. Upon lifting the underground collector from the conduit, cl0sing the switch I), releasing the trolley-pole 1', I5 and placing the wheel thereof in engagement with the overhead conductor the return-current is conveyed directly to the track-rails,

as indicated by the conductor '8 In Fig. 1 two motors t tt, respectively, are

shown in series parallel. In this view, which is diagrammatic, the underground collector is shown in contact with the conductors d e, and the trolley-pole r is lowered and in contact with the hook q. Under these conditions the current would pass upwardly through the conductor p, hook q, pole r, downwardly through the conductor u to the controller 1%, thence over the conductor 14 to the conductor M, which connects the entering terminals of c the motors t u, where it divides, so that half of the current enters each motor. From the outgoing terminal of the motor 25 is carried a conductor t, with which is connected a branch t leading to the part 70' of the underground collector, while a secondary branch t leads therefrom to the track-rails b. Between the branches t i is interposed a switch t The outgoing terminal of the motor u is electrically connected in like manner with a conductor a having a branch u connecting it permanently with the conductor t and a secondary branch 14 there being interposed between the two a switch u It will thus be seen that the direct current, whether from above or below, passes through the trolleypole. Upon raising the underground collector and closing the switches #u the return-current passes through the track-rails. Upon vlowering said collector while said switches are closed the current through the track-rails would be short-circuited, while the opening of said switches obviously serves to cut out said track-rails.

In Figs. 7, 8, and 9 I have shown modified forms of underground collectors. In Fig. 7 an indicated pole o is substituted for the part 02, a spring 1) being employed to hold it in normal contact with the conductor. In Fig. 8 separate collecting-rollers 70 7c are em ployed, the supporting parts therefor being attached to but insulated from the part n. In Fig. 9 the conductors w w are shown upon the sides, and the collector consists of a vertical bar 00, having arms 00 x hinged thereto at the lower end and insulated therefrom. A spring 00 serves to spread the arms, which may be drawn together by means of a cord y, secured to one arm, and trained around a pulley y upon the other, from whence it may be carried to any part of the car.

My improvement isapplicable to cars where two or more motors are used, either in parallel series or in multiple arc.

The advantage of my improved system lies in the ease with which a charge maybe made to shift the return-current from the trackrails to a separate conductor or the reverse, which is the result merely of lowering or raising the underground conductor and opening or closing one or more switches, according as one or more motors are employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In acombined overhead and underground electric-railway system, the combination of an overhead collector, a conduit having outgoing and return conductors therein, removable underground contact members for separately engaging said underground conductors, a conductor running from the positive 9c member of said underground contact to an engaging member on top of the car, means for connecting said overhead collector with said engaging member, a motor, means for permanently connecting said overhead 001- lector therewith, means for electrically connecting the terminal of said motor with the negative member of said contact element, means for connecting said terminal with the track-rails, and a switch for cutting out the too latter.

2. In a system of the class described, the combination of underground conductors for outgoing and return currents respectively, overhead and underground contacts, a motor I05 in permanent circuit with said overhead contact, a controller, means for electrically connecting said direct underground contact with the circuit of said overhead contact, means for connecting the negative terminal of said motor with the underground return-contact, and means for connecting the same terminal with the track-rails.

In testimony whereof I have signed-this specification, in the presence of two subscrib- I I5 ing witnesses.

. DANIEL S. BERGIN. Witnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER,

CARRIE E. JORDAN. 

